𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐲 | q. fabray

Mattresses

"What are we doing here again?" Adalynn asked as she walked into a nursing home with Bailey.

"Well, I've noticed that you've been a little down, so I figured what better way to make you feel better than to spend time with adorable old people," the blonde said, sending her friend a smile as she handed her her visitors badge. "Thank me later."

Adalynn sighed as she followed Bailey down the hall. The younger Pierce was right. These past few weeks had been really hard. Ever since the ballad assignment, the littlest thing would cause the brunette to burst into tears. The other day she started sobbing at a video of a french bulldog in a Stitch costume with the "Ohana means family" line playing in the background.

She knew it had something to do with her mom. After 10 years of denial, the reality finally sunk in that she was never coming back.

"Hi, Jean," Bailey greeted with a smile as they entered the room.

"Bailey! What a surprise!" the elderly woman exclaimed, beaming. "Who's your beautiful friend?"

"This is Adalynn. Ada, this is Jean Sylvester."

"Sylvester?" the younger Hummel questioned. "As in Sue Sylvester?"

"Yeah, this is her older sister," Bailey explained.

"Hm. So that's why Sue is so nice to you."

"She loves me," the blonde said with a goofy grin before sitting down on the bed next to Jean, pulling a book out of her bag. "I brought your favorite today, Jean."

"Little Red Riding Hood!" Jean exclaimed. She looked over at Adalynn and smiled, patting the spot on the other side of her. "Come sit."

Smiling softly, Adalynn crossed the room to sit down next to Jean.

"You're eyes are very pretty," the older Sylvester complemented with a smile.

"Thanks," the brunette said with a small smile. "I got them from my mom."

"She's very lucky to have you."

"I think I was the lucky one. She was amazing." Adalynn took a shaky breath and Jean took her hand, giving it a small squeeze.

"She wouldn't want you to be sad," said Jean. "Can you smile for me?"

Adalynn glanced over at Bailey, who pouted and made puppy dog eyes. The brunette chuckled at how silly her friend looked, revealing the dimples in her cheeks. Her smile widened when Jean smiled too.

"Shall we start the book?" Bailey asked.

"Yes, please!" Jean chirped.

"Okay." The blonde opened the book up to the first page. Adalynn could tell by the creases that it had been reread multiple times. "Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her. It suited the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding Hood."

As Bailey continued to read, Adalynn felt all her troubles from the past weeks wash away. She smiled to herself as she watched how happy the story made Jean. Bailey was right. Hanging out with adorable old people was just what she needed to take her mind off of things for a while.

"The woodcutter hit the wolf over the head. The wolf opened his mouth wide and shouted and Granny jumped out. The wolf ran away and Little Red Riding Hood never saw the wolf again."

Jean smiled and clapped as the story ended, but she wasn't the only one. The younger girls looked up and saw Sue enter the room with a smile spread across her face.